Ann Merriman learned firsthand two weeks ago that we’ve entered a new age of bank fees. The Rockland resident contacted us after she pulled up to a drive-through window at a Citizens Bank branch in Hanover and was told she would be charged $7 to cash a check – even though the check was written by a Citizens customer to draw from a Citizens account.

Merriman was furious. She had occasionally stopped off at Citizens branches to cash checks from this relative of hers, and never had a problem before this time. She told me she expressed her concern to the teller, and was informed that a new policy had gone into effect in October. So Merriman left in a huff, driving away without paying the fee or cashing the check. She said her relative – the one who wrote the check – was appalled and is gradually pulling her money out of the bank (not just because of this incident, but Merriman thinks it was the final straw).

“I could see why they would want to charge for cashing somebody else’s check, but to cash their own check, that’s chutzpah,” Merriman said.

Merriman said she knows Citizens (the second-biggest bank in Massachusetts) isn’t the only bank that charges these fees to non-customers, which is one reason why she says she refuses to do business with any big multistate banks.

Citizens spokesman Mike Jones told me the Providence-based bank began instituting the charge on Jan. 1, 2010, but checks that were below $100 were exempt. But the bank expanded the fee to checks of all sizes in October. Jones described it as a “convenience charge:” The bank, he said, wants to focus on improving service to its customers, and serving non-customers takes time away from serving its customers.

I did an informal survey of at least a half-dozen banks that do business in Boston and on the South Shore on Friday. Representatives for several of those banks told me they don’t charge fees to non-customers who cash checks that would be drawn from the banks’ accounts. The banks that told me they don’t charge the fee include Sovereign Bank (the No. 3 bank in the state), TD Bank (the fourth biggest bank in the state), Rockland Trust, Eastern Bank and Mutual Bank.

A spokeswoman for Bank of America (the state’s biggest bank) said non-customers do not pay a fee to cash checks drawn on Bank of America personal accounts, but they do pay $6 for a check drawn from a B of A business account. The spokeswoman said B of A also requires non-customers to provide a fingerprint as a form of identification (as well as a photo ID) to cash the check.

Bob Terravecchia, president of Weymouth Bank, told me it’s important for banks to be wary of check fraud. That’s why he said his bank asks for two forms of ID when cashing a Weymouth Bank check for a non-customer. But he said the bank certainly doesn’t charge a fee for cashing that check.

And Terravechia promised there won’t be any fingerprinting, at least while he’s in charge. “We won’t read them their Miranda rights, either,” he said.

I got hit with that Citizens Bank Fee about a month ago,and was appalled. The Teller told me if i opened a Citizens Bank account, that would wiave the fee, problem with that is, I already had a citizens bank account, from when i was 21 until 34. I had enough of someone thinking of reasons to charge for this and charge me for that, I moved to Rockland Trust and couldnt be any happier. And I have been taught a hard lesson, dont bank anywhere where you cant talk to the same person twice, and stay on top of your banker, my last years with Citizens, i spent thousands every year in assorted fees. Since i have been with Rockland trust, a year and a half, only been a couple of small fees, nothing I didn’t see coming. So, anyone who has a Citizens bank Account, JUMP SHIP, go to a good local bank.

so BOA lied to Jon Chesto–nice! I have been with Rockland Federal Credit Union for over 20 years; they are fabulous. The big banks forget we have choices as consumers NOT to use them. So let’s exercise our options and vote with our feet!

I stopped by a Bank of America branch this morning to check on this, and the teller confirmed to me that the bank does not charge a fee for a non-customer to cash a personal Bank of America check (although there can be a fee for business checks).
That’s not to say B of A doesn’t have its own issues with fees: My wife was surprised a few months ago when she was hit with one of those go-paperless-or-else-we’ll-charge-you fees for her B of A checking account.

I JUST ADDED TO MY LIFE KNOWLEDGE THIS MORNING AT THE RAYNHAM BRANCH OF CITIZENS. I HAD A CHECK TO CASH AND WAS INFORMED OF THE FINGERPRINT AND $ 7.00 FEE. I WALKED OUT AND WENT BACK TO THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE CHECK. THEY ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF LEAVING THAT BANK. MY MESSAGE TO EVERY ONE IS DO NOT TAKE THIS AND ANY OTHER CRAP THEY TRY. SOME HOW ALONG THE WAY THE BANKING INDUSTRY AND SEVERAL OTHERS FORGOT THAT THEY ARE A SERVICE DRIVEN BUSINESS, IF THEY DRIVE AWAY ENOUGH CUSTOMERS SOME ONE WILL GET THE MESSAGE AND THESE FEES WILL STOP. I PLAN TO INFORM STOP AND SHOP THAT IF THEY CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS WITH CITIZENS I WILL STOP SHOPPING WITH THEM.

I was just charged $20.00 to cash a check at regons bank in Gallatin TN. when I asked for a receipt I was told that they do not provide them to non-members, but they still charged me. How am I supposed to justify this expenditure on my books? This seems to me like a scam. I don’t agree with this practice and without a record of this transaction, I have no proof of this money going out or what it is for. All I have is a $20.00 shortage that is not accounted for on MY books for every check that I decide to cash. This practice should be illegal. Why is our Government not putting a stop to this and protecting us from these criminal practices? Its already costed me several hundred dollars this year alone and i cannot justify where these funds went without a receipt. According to my accountant, I misappropreated these funds by not being able to prove where they went. You cannot just tell the IRS that you were charged for anything without proof, but the bank will not provide the proof. That’s not ethical or legal and this practice SHOULD BE STOPPED.

Was just told by Chase Bank when I went to cash a check drawn on their bank by one of their customers that there would be a $6 fee. I asked “why?”, and was told that it was so that I could be sure the funds were available — like they can’t check on their computer? Outrageous! I drove away without cashing the check. In the future, I may not accept checks drawn on Chase.

I have had to cash checks at both Bank Of America and Partners Credit Union here in Southern California recently.They both charge a fee to do that if you dont have an account with them.One check I had written to me at Partners was for $10.They wanted a $5 fee for that and I tore the check up in front of the teller and told him he was ripping me off.What ever happened to the old days when you would go out and earn your money and be able to cash your check with no problem.I have been told that most banks are doing this now and getting away with it.They have no right to keep your hard earned money when they are already charging the person who wrote you the check a fee.The banks have too much power these days and are raking in tons of money off of consumers.I wish there was some way the government could go in and stop this but I guess you cant beat city hall here.Too bad and its just not fair.

This charge for check cashing is totally bogus, and I have been burned by it before.

The reality is the Bank is not providing a service for you the person receiving the check, rather they are providing a service for the account holder.

In other words the account holder has money at B of A, and has given you a slip of paper, asking B of A to give some of their money (which B of A is holding and making money on by loaning it to other people) to you, so that the account holder does not need to physically go to the bank, withdraw the money, and give it to you.

Think about it- the check is an extra service the Bank is providing the account holder, not the check casher. Therefore the account holder should have to pay ‘check cashing fees’-that is if anyone should have to pay fees.

I don’t care about a fingerprint – I leave them all over the place anyway.
“Convenience fee?” WHAT? It’s a convenience to the person that gave me the check, not to me. It’s a decided INconvenience to me. I have to walk or drive to the bank and go through the hassle of dealing with the tellers, then return to wherever I was. Convenience to me is for me to be paid in CASH.
One bad check from anyone and it’s cash or a US postal money order from then on.
I regard a check that I can’t cash without accepting a discount as a bad check. It’s called “insufficient funds.” I don’t care how much is on account. If the bank won’t cash the check for the full amount, it’s insufficient. The funds offered are insufficient to make the check good.
The banks are preying on poor people who don’t have accounts. Most are living from paycheck to paycheck, or past their next paycheck, and will just accept being ripped off.
If this keeps being a hassle, I’m going to start adding the check cashing fee to the amount the check has to be made out for, rather than waste my time and energy dealing with the banksters. Just going near a bank raises my blood pressure.
The only “bank” I’ve ever been in that made it a pleasant experience is the credit union that I have an account with. And they lied to me and said some law requires me to divulge Social Security number to them. There isn’t any such law and the only thing any bank has ever been able to show me is a Treasury Dept. press release, which doesn’t say that anyone has to provide a SS# to open an account. The only thing I could find from Treasury appearing to require a SS or other TI# relates to mutual funds.

I found that Union Planters was charging me $1/month for a debit card that I never used. When Regions gobbled them up, they credited the accumulated $$ back to my account when I asked them if they charged for a debit card and complained That UP had been charging. Banks prefer debit cards; they save them money over handling checks and having tellers. Once all banking institutions have ATMs for everything, they’ll be able to reduce their facilities to loan offices. New ATMs can read printed and handwritten checks.

I was just informed by the teller today at TD Bank that as of February 1, 2012, TD Bank will be charging a $7 fee to non-customers for all checks cashed, even those drawn from a TD Bank account. My paycheck is from a TD Bank account, and that is the ONLY reason I go in there… to cash it and deposit the cash into my account at another (local) bank. I won’t ever be stepping foot in a TD Bank again after the charges go into effect. They already lost my business when I closed our checking account that was supposed to be grandfathered in as “free for life” checking (since we opened a free for life checking years before with the previous bank, Bank of NH, which became TD Banknorth, then TD Bank). They just up and changed their mind one day and sent a letter stating they decided to charge EVERYONE and there was no more free for anyone, so I said GOODBYE! The only thing “convenient” about TD Bank is that is the only bank located in our small town, and the next nearest banks/CUs are at least a 15-20 min drive two towns away. Credit unions and LOCAL banks are the ONLY banks that will ever get my business!

The Banking industry is extracting funds from Americans. Their marketing departments are the ones who come up with these fees. This is to increase their revenue AND to start a conversation with the teller and you where the teller can suggest a free way to cash the check. Open an account.

It is down right FRAUD! Checks are legal documents that promise funds from the bank to the payee. The banks provide blank checks to their account holders (their current customers) as a service. This service is to allow those holders to write promisarry notes for the holders cash to be paid to the payee from the bank’s location. The bank name is what provides the security and confidence to accept the check as payment.

This flat check cashing fee is riddiculus! Not even a percentage. It’s $7 wheater the check is for $1000 or $10???????????

TO “AL’S” COMMENT ABOVE REGARDING CAPS ARE SHOUTING AND NOBODY READS YOUR POST…..
IT MAKES ALOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO READ WHAT NEEDS TO BE READ FOR CHANGE TO OCCUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO YES, I AM ANGRY AS ALL HELL AND YES I AM SHOUTING (COULD BE WORSE IF I WAS ON THE OTHER END AND TOLD I NEEDED TO PAY A FEE TO CASH A CHECK ON THAT BANKS ACCOUNT)!!!

DUE TO THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW, MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT WORKING AND DO NOT HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT AND DO NOT WANT TO PAY A CHECK CASHING FEE AT A GROCERY OR OTHER TYPE OF STORE THAT IS WHY THEY GO TO THE BANK THAT THE CHECK IS DRAWN ON WITH THIER PHOTO ID!! (AGAIN, THE BANK CK IS DRAWN ON)!

SO WHETHER THE BANK CASHES A CHECK DRAWN ON THIER OWN BANK FOR THE CUSTOMER OR WHOMEVER THIER CUSTOMER WROTE THE CHECK TO IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK – OH UNLESS THEY DO PUT A HOLD ON IT – A FEW EXTRA SECONDS WHOOPIE DO DAH HUH!

SIDE BAR NOTE: ( I ACTUALLY CAN SEE GROCERY STORES & OTHER CHECK CASHING TYPE STORES CHARGING A FEE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THE BANK THAT THE CHECK IS DRAWN ON WHICH REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PROCESSING BETWEEN THEM & THE BANK).

MOST PEOPLE WOULD AGREE THAT THIS “CONVIENCE FEE” IMPOSED BY THE BANKS….
IS ABSOLUTELY AN ILLEGAL (OR AT THE VERY LEAST) A “CROOKED PRACTICE” BY MY BANK WHICH IS CITIZENS BANK AS WELL AS BY OTHER BANKS PER ABOVE PEOPLE.

I HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT SO I CAN WRITE CHECKS TO PAY MY BILLS ….!!!!
NOT
(AND I REPEAT NOT)
TO HAVE SOMEBODY GET LESS MONEY THAN WHAT I PAID THEM DUE TO THE BANKS CHARGING THEM THIS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS “CONVIENCE FEE”!

NICE WAY OF PEOPLE NOT GETTING THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE CHECK TO USE IT AS AN EXCUSE FOR ME PAYING THEM “INSUFFICIANT FUNDS” -(NOT FULL AMOUNT), WHICH IN TURN CAN MAKE THEM TOTALLY STOP DOING BUSINESS WITH ME IF PAID BY CHECK!

NO, I AM NOT GOING TO PAY FOR BANK MONEY ORDERS WHEN I HAVE A CHECKING ACCOUNT EITHER FOR ANOTHER WAY OF THE BANK SQUEEZING THIER “CUSTOMER”!

THEY ARE MAKING PEOPLE NOT GET THE AMOUNT I INTENDED FOR THEM TO GET WITH “MY MONEY” IN THIER BANK THAT THEY CLEARLY CAN LOOK UP AND HOLD THE SUFFIENCT FUNDS ON SO THEY DON’T LOSE OUT IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER!

THE STATEMENT JUST BELOW THIS WAS COPIED FROM ANOTHER PERSON ABOVE….
I asked “why?”, and was told that it was so that I could be sure the funds were available!

YES, IT IS OUTRAGEOUS – AS I HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY… & THEY PROBABLY EVEN HAVE MUCH MORE TECHNOLOGY THAN BEING ABLE TO LOOK FUNDS UP & TO PUT A HOLD THEM.

SO WHAT THE (* * * *) KIND OF SERVICE FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER IS THAT!!!!
OH YEAH, IT IS NOT!!!!!!

(ABOVE STATEMENT REPEATED AGAIN AS IT NEEDS TO BE HEARD SO PEOPLE CAN BAN AGAINST THIS UNFAIR “BANK POLICY”)………

SO WHAT THE (* * * *) KIND OF SERVICE FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER IS THAT!!!!
OH YEAH, IT IS NOT!!!!!!

FOR A KICK IN THE PANTS TO BOOT….!!!!!!!!!!!!
BOTH MYSELF & THE NON-CUSTOMER WERE EMBARRESSED BY………..

#1)
THAT MY CHECK WRITTEN TO A NON-CUSTOMER ACTUALLY ….
COST THEM $7.00 OUT OF MY PAYMENT TO THEM!!!
#2)
THE BANKER CASHING IT FRIGIN’ HAD THE GALL TO ASK HIM TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT!!!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#3)
ASKED THE NON-CUSTOMER & WHAT I FEEL IS A PERSONAL AND IRRELOVANT QUESTION…
WHICH WAS…………..
“HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS PERSON”!!!!
(THAT IS NONE OF THIER BUSINESS, DON’T YOU AGREE THE BANK STEPPED TOO FAR)????

ARE YOU FRIGIN’ KIDDING ME…………..
THE BANKS HAVE A CHECK DRAWN ON THIER BANK,
MEANS TO NOT ONLY LOOK UP – BUT ALSO CAN PUT A HOLD ON THE FUNDS BEING CASHED PRIOR TO PASSING THE MONEY OFF TO ENSURE THE BANK HAS NO LOSS AT ALL,
PLUS THEY HAVE A LEGAL NON-EXPIRED LICENSE AT A WINDOW (NOT A DRIVE THRU) TO VERIFY IT IS THE PERSON ON THE ID…………………….

THEN GUESS WHAT NEXT…………
****** THEY ASK FOR HIS FINGERPRINT ON THE CHECK LIKE HE’S A CRIMINAL! ****

IT IS A PERSONAL CHECK TO A PERSON ….
SO THOSE BUSINESS ACCOUNT RULES I’VE READ ABOVE DO NOT APPLY IN THAT CASE!!!

WHEN CHECK WAS BEING CASHED, I HAD SUFFIENT FUNDS TO COVER IT AND TO PUT AN IMMEDIATE HOLD ON IT – YET THAT PROBABLY WAS NOT DONE SEEING BANKER FELT THE NEED TO FINGERPRINT PERSON CASHING IT!!!!

WHY THE NEED FOR A FINGER PRINT IN THE FIRST PLACE BY ANY BANK ???? !!!! ?????

LET’S FACE IT, BANKS DO AND HAVE “IN MY CASE” MADE MISTAKES CAUSING OVERDRAFTS TO OCCUR FOR THIER OWN SCREW-UPS!!!

IF THE BANKS EMPLOYEE OR COMPUTERS EVEN SCREWS UP AND RESULT IS…. FINGERPRINTS OF PERSON I GAVE CHECK TO ENDING UP BEING FORWARDED TO POLICE – THAT COULD ALSO CAUSE AN UN-NECESSARY WARRANT ON THEM WHICH IN TURN COULD CAUSE THE SAME PERSON FINANCIAL COSTS TO “STRAIGHTEN OUT WHAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED” !!!! THINK ABOUT THIS, WHY DO THEY REALLY NEED ANY PERSON’S FINGERPRINTS IN THE FIRST PLACE TO BEGIN WITH – IT’S A BANK – NOT FBI!

WE NOW HAVE MEDICAL PRIVACY FOR OUR BODIES THROUGH HIPPA LAWS……

IS ANYONE ELSE BESIDES MYSELF QUESTIONING THIS………….
WHY DO WE LOSE OUR PRIVACY OF A PART OF OUR LARGEST ORGAN (THE SKIN) BY BEING FINGERPRINTED BY BANKS WHERE WE ALL KNOW STORE EVERYTHING INCLUDING PICTURES OF THE CHECKS (WITH FINGERPRINTS) ELECTRONICALLY??

ANOTHER SIDE BAR NOTE:
I UNDERSTAND A NEED FOR POLICE ETC. TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO FINGERPRINT,

BUT “A BANK” (IN MY BELIEF) SHOULD NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO STORE A PIECE OF INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR PHYSICAL BODY FOR ANY REASON OR POLICY THAT’S ESTABLISHED TO OBVIOUSLY MAKE THE BANKS MORE MONEY – (COULD THERE BE ANOTHER REASON)?

A PHOTO IS ONE THING, BUT A FINGER PRINT …….
REALLY HOW NECESSARY IS THAT FOR A BANK TO NEED AND STORE ELECTRONICALLY ON THE CHECK COPIES CASHED?? (MAY BE JUST ME, BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY).

PISSED OFF “SOON TO BE EX-CUSTOMER OF CITIZENS BANK” BECAUSE OF THIS ONE LAST DIG FINANCIALLY TO THE LITTLE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THIS COUNTRY OUT OF THIS RECESSION/DEPRESSION WHILE THE BIG BANKS AND FINANCIAL AND REAL ESTATE COMPANIES GET AWAY WITH ROBBERY AND A LOT MORE – SOME LIKE BERNIE MADOFF WHO WILL NEVER BE CAUGHT……..UNLESS PEOPLE WHO AREN’T AFRAID OF SPEAKING UP FOR CHANGE STAND THIER GROUND!!!!

LEVERAGE FOR RIGHTS MAY NOT ALWAYS WORK, BUT I GIVE CREDIT FOR TRYING!

They say that there charging this fee because “they are taking time away from serving there own customers”. Well the check they are charging 7.00 to cash are from there own customers. I had a small business account with Citizens bank and my free overdraft protection was now charged at 25.00 a year. and then if should use it its 10.00 for everytime I use it. Then they charge 10.00 a month if you don’t have a 1500.00 balance or use your debit card 5 times in one month. SO that how they want to service there own customers, by sticking it to them every chance they get. NEEDLES to say I no longer will do any business with Citizens bank and will not accept a check from anyone that is drawn from citizens bank. I hope more join in…..

This reminds me: I need to call every bank in the region and find out what their nonmember/nonaccountholder check cashing fee is.
Then I’ll know how much to add on any checks as a “convenience fee.”
Might even add more on according to how far I have to drive to cash the check (50.5c/mi. each way = $1.01/mi. currently).
When they start demanding a Socialist Slave Number to cash a check (so far none have) that’s when I’ll have to come up with a new tactic.

I have been cashing my customers check that is written to me every week to clean their house at thier bank which is Wells Fargo. Every time I go in I get dirty looks, finger printed and have to show my ID and my banks atm card where I have a bank account currently, to be able to cash the check. Well, I will never become a Wells Fargo customer, I was treated and felt like a criminal. The bank manager comes out and tries to get me to open a bank account with them. I noticed too when I come through the door the tellers start talking about me and are rude. I have had a house cleaning business for 9 years and I never had this kind of treatment to cash a customers check at any other bank but this particular one. It is legal to do so as long as you can prove who you are. Wells Fargo is aweful customer service and disrespectful too. I have a chance to use a Credit Union I may just do that now. The bank I have now is okay just your typical big piggish bank practices with all the fees they charge you.

Anna, you do NOT need to show anything from another bank to cash a check.
All you need is ONE standard ID: driver license/DMV nondriver ID card, US passport. If you have two IDs you can just show them but if you can’t provide two, only one picture ID is enough.
Finger print is no big deal if it doesn’t make my finger black. I put my prints all over everywhere I go anyway and it’s a unique indentifier.
If you were to open an account, is it free?
If not, why should you have two bank accounts to have to pay for every month?
Credit unions that I have tried did not charge any monthly fee, check cashig fee, etc.
Credit unions are not banks and have to operate with accounts in commercial banks, so you can’t totally stiff the evil banksters.
At least you won’t have to be with them in heaven: the Bible says that usurers and extortioners will not enter the kingdom of God. I Corinthians 6:10 Make sure you will be there. Maybe a few repentant usurers/extortioners will be there; Jesus said that with God all is possible. He even forgave those Jews who had Him hung on the cross (Acts 2:38, 41).

A “usurer” is a moneylender who demands more back than what he lent. All usurers are extortioners or few would repay them, especially the usury.
“Interest” is a word that has replaced “usury” in common speech because “usury” has such a foul tone to it. Now “usury” has been redefined as “excessive interest” when the Bible teaches that ALL interest/usury is wicked. Any society that allows usury lending ends up with all the money and all the land in the ownership of the moneylenders.
You don’t own your home. You have to pay rent every year.
If you rent from a landlord, you pay higher property tax (c0ncealed inside the rent) in most jurisdictions. In Tennessee if you rent a duplex or larger, you pay 60% higher tax rate than if you live in a single family home. In Alabama, if you rent you pay double the property tax rate as an owner/occupant pays.